An apparatus for spraying lawn products adapted for use with a fluid supply source and a reservoir includes a housing defining a mixing chamber therein and a reservoir coupled to the housing. A process for use of the apparatus is also disclosed. The housing includes a substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion having discontinuous internal threads forming flats therein, a lip portion, and an open end portion. The reservoir includes a generally cylindrically shaped neck portion having a partial exterior shoulder, external threads thereon, and an end portion. Internal threads of the neck portion of the reservoir interengage the discontinuous internal threads having flats therein of the cap portion. The partial exterior shoulder of the reservoir interengages the open end portion of the cap portion such that the end portion of the neck of the reservoir does not engage the lip portion of the cap portion aspirating of the reservoir and housing.
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4. A process for aspirating a bottle and spray applicator, said bottle includes a neck portion having exterior threads thereon, an end portion and a partial shoulder thereon, said spray applicator includes a housing, said housing includes a cap portion, said cap portion includes interior threads having flats therein, a passageway, a head portion, an end portion, a lip, a fixed disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspirating apertures, a rotatable disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspiration apertures, comprising the steps of:
inserting said fixed disc into engagement with said cap portion;
aligning one of said flow apertures of said fixed disc with said passageway;
inserting said rotatable disc into engagement with said fixed disc;
rotatably selecting from one of a rectangular, square, oval or circular flow aperture of said rotatable disc and aligning it with said one of said flow apertures aligned with said passageway of said fixed disc, and, aligning the remaining flow and aspirating apertures with each other;
interengaging said exterior threads of said neck portion with said interior threads of said cap portion;
interengaging said end portion of said cap with said partial shoulder of said neck portion of said bottle; and,
flowing air past said partial shoulder of said bottle, said threads and flats, and into said reservoir and said head portion.
2. A bottle and spray applicator, comprising:
said spray applicator includes a housing;
said housing includes a head and a passageway through said housing;
said bottle includes a stop;
said housing being threadedly interconnected with said bottle and interengages said stop on said bottle such that air may flow past said stop and said threaded interconnection and into said head of said housing and said bottle;
a fixed disc having four rectangular orifices located 90° apart;
any one of said four rectangular orifices of said fixed disc positioned adjacent said passageway;
two of said four rectangularly shaped orifices in communication with said head of said housing;
said fixed disc includes a plurality of circularly shaped orifices in communication with said head of said housing;
a selectively rotatable disc adjacent said stationary disc;
said rotatable disc includes a plurality of flow control orifices any one of which may be selectively aligned with said any one of said four rectangularly shaped orifices of said fixed disc adjacent said passageway so as to control flow through said passageway;
two of said flow control orifices of said rotatable disc being aligned with two of said rectangularly shaped discs for communication of air to and from said head; and,
said rotatable disc further includes a plurality of circularly shaped apertures in alignment with said circularly shaped apertures of said fixed disc for communication of air to and from said head.
1. An apparatus for spraying lawn products adapted for use with a fluid supply source and a reservoir holding said lawn products, comprising:
a housing defining a mixing chamber therein;
said reservoir coupled to said housing;
a fluid supply source communicating a supply of a first fluid from the fluid supply source into the housing through an elongate passageway;
a first passageway for communicating a first portion of the first fluid from the fluid supply source into the reservoir as a mixing fluid flow;
a second passageway communicating the remaining portion of the first fluid from the fluid supply source into the mixing chamber;
said housing includes a substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion having discontinuous internal threads forming flats therein, a lip portion, and an open end portion;
said reservoir includes a generally cylindrically shaped neck portion having a partial exterior shoulder, external threads thereon, and an end portion;
said internal threads of said generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of said reservoir interengaging said discontinuous internal threads having flats therein of said substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion;
a fixed disc mounted to said cylindrically shaped cap portion of said housing; said fixed disc comprising a plurality of rectangularly shaped flow apertures; said fixed disc in loose engagement with said lip of said cap portion of said housing; one of said rectangularly shaped apertures communicates with said mixing chamber; said fixed disc further includes four circularly shaped aspirating apertures which communicate with a head portion of said housing; a rotatably adjustable disc in loose engagement with said fixed disc; said rotatably adjustable disc includes a rectangularly shaped-mixing flow aperture, a square shaped mixing flow aperture, an oval shaped mixing flow aperture and a circularly shaped mixing flow aperture any one of which may be selectively aligned with said one of said rectangularly shaped apertures communicating with said mixing chamber, the remaining apertures not aligned with said mixing chamber being aligned with said rectangular apertures of said fixed disc such that two of said remaining apertures communicate with said head of said housing; and, said rotatably adjustable disc further includes four circularly shaped aspirating apertures which align with said four circularly shaped aspirating apertures of said fixed disc; said flow apertures of said fixed and rotatable discs aligning with said mixing chamber control flow therethrough and said flow control apertures not aligned with said mixing chamber and said aspirating apertures aligned with each other aspirate said head of said housing and said reservoir; and,
said partial exterior shoulder of said generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of said reservoir interengaging said open end portion of said substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion such that said end portion of said neck portion of said reservoir does not engage said fixed and rotatable discs or said lip portion of said substantially shaped cap portion enabling aspiration of said reservoir and said head portion of said cap portion of said housing past said partial shoulder, said threads of said housing and reservoir, said fixed and rotatable discs, and said flats of said housing.
3. A bottle and spray applicator as claimed in
5. A process for aspirating a bottle and spray applicator, said bottle includes a neck portion having exterior threads thereon, an end portion and a partial shoulder thereon, said spray applicator includes a housing, said housing includes a cap portion, said cap portion includes interior threads having flats therein, a passageway, a head portion, an end portion, a lip, a fixed disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspirating apertures, a rotatable disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspiration apertures, as claimed in
6. A process for aspirating a bottle and spray applicator, said bottle includes a neck portion having exterior threads thereon, an end portion and a partial shoulder thereon, said spray applicator includes a housing, said housing includes a cap portion, said cap portion includes interior threads having flats therein, a passageway, a head portion, an end portion, a lip, a fixed disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspirating apertures, a rotatable disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspiration apertures, as claimed in
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The present invention relates to the art of liquid spray applicators and more particularly to liquid seed applicators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,206 to Gavin is incorporated herein by reference and is substantially copied herein and quoted below, in this, the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, section of the instant patent application. FIGS. 1-8 are duplicates from U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,206 and FIG. 11 is a view of the related art cover (spray applicator) 12.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,206 to Gavin, quoted below, is incorporated herein by reference and states, in pertinent part:
“. . . an inlet chamber is typically provided for receiving an input fluid flow from a source such as a garden hose. The inlet chambers are typically provided with two exhaust passages including an approach passage having a reduced cross-sectional area and a smaller passage forming an inlet into a reservoir containing seed. The approach passage in turn connects the inlet chamber with a mixing chamber. Within the mixing chamber, the slurry created by the inputted fluid received through the smaller passage and combined with the seed is mixed with the inputted fluid which flows through the approach passage. Lastly downstream, a nozzle is provided for limited control over the resultant spray pattern.”
“. . . a convertible spray nozzle is provided for application of both soluble and non-soluble materials over a surface. The convertible spray nozzle comprises an inlet end, a distribution section, a mixing section, and an exhaust end. Fluid, such as water, is received into a primary chamber located at the inlet end. The inputted fluid is then divided into two partial flows while within the distribution section. The first partial flow is directed to a canister coupled to the nozzle and provided with the soluble or non-soluble application materials. The second partial flow is directed to a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber is open to the slurry created within the canister whereby the passing of the second partial flow through the mixing chamber draws the slurry from the canister and through an outletchannel for distribution at the exhaust end taking advantage of the venturi principles . . . .”
“. . . the distribution section is provided with a direct fluid passage for permitting the fluids received into the secondary inlet chamber to pass therethrough confined within a predetermined longitudinal cross-sectional area. Further, the mixing section is provided with an outlet channel formed above the predetermined longitudinal cross-sectional area of fluid flow through the direct passage. An outlet channel deflector substantially deflects the portions of the fluid flow obliquely through the mixing chamber against a bottom surface of a flared nose provided at the exhaust end of the spray nozzle.”
“. . . a pair of discs are provided for easy conversion between soluble and non-soluble applications. A stationary disc is received into the spray nozzle housing to partially restrict a passage between the canister and the mixing chamber. The stationary disc is further provided with centering holes for receipt of positioning dimples formed on a movable . . . . The movable disc is apertured having a plurality of outflow orifices of varying size to control the passage between the reservoir and the mixing chamber by means of modifying the cross-sectional area of the passage to “throttle” the flow therethrough.”
“. . . a method of mixing and spraying non-soluble particles using a spray nozzle is provided. A preselected ratio of an inputted fluid stream is constrained to flow through a mixing chamber and directly into an output channel deflector to thereby be deflected through an outlet channel after mixedly combining with portions of a slurry created within the mixing chamber itself. An exhaust end having a flared nose comprising guide ribs and a bottom surface creates an even flow for uniform seed distribution.”
“. . . the FIGURES show a convertible spray nozzle apparatus 10 capable of receiving a canister or jar 16 and a fluid supply as, for example, a garden hose 18.”
“More particularly with reference to
“Now with particular reference to
“A plunger 26 is adapted to receive an O-ring 28 into a circumferential groove 29. In addition, a pair of larger circumferential grooves 25 are adapted to receive an O-ring pair 24 onto the plunger 26. The O-rings 24, 28 and plunger 26 are sized to be slideably received within a primary inlet chamber 32 of housing 11. When received as such within the chamber 32, the O-rings 24 engage the inner walls of the primary inlet chamber itself to block the flow of water around the plunger as between the plunger 26 itself and the primary inlet chamber walls. At an end of the plunger 26, O-ring 28 is accordingly sized to engage the inner walls of a secondary inlet chamber 34 when positioned to the extreme left as viewed from the FIGURE. When in such position, the combination of plunger 26 and O-ring 28, deny flow of fluids from the primary inlet chamber 32 into the secondary inlet chamber 34.”
“With continued reference to the inlet end section A, a portion of a trigger 30 passes through the housing 11 to engage a recess 27 within the plunger 26. Actuation of the trigger 30, as by a toggle action, serves to slide the plunger assembly 26 longitudinally within the primary inlet chamber 32. Actuation of the trigger 30 in a direction F causes the plunger assembly 26 to slide within the primary inlet chamber 32 leftwardly as viewed in the FIGURE. This has the effect of closing off fluid flow through the secondary inlet chamber 34. Conversely, actuation of the trigger 30 in a direction E longitudinally slides the plunger 26 rightwardly as viewed in the FIGURE to open or allow fluid flow into the secondary inlet chamber 34 through perforations in the plunger 26 spaced radially outward from the O-ring 28 and extending longitudinally through the plunger body.”
“An internally threaded nut 22 mechanically attaches a fluid supply hose such as a garden hose to the housing 11. The nut 22 grips the housing 11 by means of a ridge 23 circumferentially provided on the housing 11 as illustrated.”
“Referring next to the distribution section B, the secondary inlet chamber 34 forms an elongate generally cylindrical hollow section having a longitudinal axis CL, which is collinear with a longitudinal axis of the primary inlet chamber 32 in the preferred embodiment. However, the secondary chamber 34 is of considerably smaller cross-sectional area than the primary chamber, as can be seen from the FIGURE. Fluid flowing into the secondary chamber 34 escapes through one of two openings. A fill passage 38 comprises a small capillary-type passageway which directs the fluid from the secondary inlet chamber 34 into a canister (not shown) received into the housing 11 and coupled thereto as by threads 15. A direct passage 40 forms the second opening and is constrained to lie below the longitudinal axis CL of both chambers 32 and 34 as viewed from the FIGURE. Generally, fluid flowing through the secondary inlet chamber 34 exists the direct passage 40 as a directed spray according to the size of the opening 40 and below the axis CL of the inlet chambers 32 and 34. Fluid which flows through the fill passage 38 mixes with seed or other materials or substances which may be contained in the canister 16 to create a slurry.”
“The axis CL is used for ease of reference in the preferred embodiment, although it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the relative positioning between the direct passage 40 and a deflector/outlet channel pair described below is primarily responsible for the advantageous results realized by the instant invention.”
“Next referring to the mixing section C, fluid which passes through the direct passage 40 enters a mixing chamber 36 striking an outlet channel deflector surface 52. The flow of fluid through the mixing chamber 36 and across a slurry communicating passage 54, creates a venturi effect which tends to draw the slurry present within the canister 16 into the mixing chamber 36 according to the well-known phenomenon described above. The outlet channel deflector 52 is set at an angle from the longitudinal axis above the uppermost extreme of passage 40 and common to the inlet chambers 32 and 34. The angle is 45.degree. in the preferred embodiment. In addition, the outlet channel 50 and outlet channel deflector 52, meet at a plane defined by the longitudinal axis CL to, in effect, create a “misalignment” between the direct passage 40 and outlet channel 50. That is, fluids escaping the secondary inlet chamber 34 through the direct passage 40, must necessarily first strike the outlet channel deflector 52, before passing through the outlet channel 50. As such, it is apparent that the actual configuration of the chambers 32 and 34 may be modified to conform with any number of applications without departing from the misalignment concept described above.”
“In addition, the cross-sectional area of the secondary chamber 34 in a plane transverse to the axis CL is “tuned” with the area of outlet channel 50. That is, in the preferred embodiment, the chamber 34 and the channel 50 are sized to have corresponding (matching) cross-sectional areas. This arrangement results in the optimum operational characteristics in the preferred embodiment. Experimentation with sizing indicates that for a fixed cross-sectional area of secondary chamber 34, a large outlet channel 50 resulted in a “gasping” or “sputtering” of the product from the reservoir 16. For a small outlet channel 50, the inputted fluid accumulates within the reservoir 16 in turn causing threads 15 to leak the accumulated slurry.”
“The quantity and capacity of the expulsion of the slurry contained within the canister 16 is controlled by a selective adjustment of the slurry communicating passage 54. In the preferred embodiment, a means for controlling the aperture size of the slurry communicating passage 54 comprise a stationary disc 60 and a moveable disc 70.”
“With continued reference to
“With the stationary disc 60 received into the housing 11 and oriented according to the orientation criteria established by the socket 66, the moveable disc 70 may then be installed into the housing 11 abutted against the stationary disc 60. The moveable disc 70 is provided with a plurality of outflow orifices 72, dimples 74, tabs 76, and an internal centering frictional surface 78. The dimples 74 are positioned about the moveable disc 70 to correspond with the positioning holes 68 provided in the stationary disc 60. As illustrated, the preferred embodiment comprises four hole/dimple sets, to provide for four individual orientations of the moveable disc 70 about an axis loosely defined by the fill passage 38. As can be seen from the FIGURES, the surface 78 is sized to frictionally engage the retainer ridge 63 and in this manner is held thereby during attachment of reservoir 16 to the spray nozzle. Actual control over the resultant size of the slurry communicating passage 54 is controlled by a combination of the output orifice 61 and selection of a one of the plurality of outflow orifices 72. As seen in the FIGURES, the outflow orifices 72 may be sized and numbered according to a wide variety of particular applications. That is, it is possible to provide a single large outflow orifice, or a plurality of small orifices, or any combination thereof, to achieve a desired slurry outflow characteristic.”
“However, it is to be noted that the spray nozzle 10, as illustrated, functions to disperse both soluble and non-soluble products from the reservoir even without the use of either the discs 60 or 70. As would be expected, of course, without the expedient of the discs 60, 70 to govern the flow of the concentrated product, soluble substances are expelled from the nozzle and applied over the desired surface rather quickly, as to make use of the device without the control provided by the discs 60, 70 to be unwise.”
“In operation, a single large outflow orifice is manually selected through use of tabs 76 by rotating the moveable disc 70 about the fill passage axis until the dimples 74 engage the positioning holes 68. In that orientation, a slurry comprising grass seed and water may be applied to a surface. A small outflow orifice 72 for spreading soluble products is possible by manually rotating the moveable disc 70 in quarter-turn increments where the dimples 74 mate with the positioning holes 68. Through this simple expedient, the spray nozzle is easily convertible in the field for use with both soluble and non-soluble products presented within the canister 16. In addition, both discs are easily removable for cleaning or the like.”
“Referring next to
“With continued reference to
“Referring next to
“Referring next to
“By the arrangement of the direct passage and outlet channel as described above, fluid exiting the secondary inlet chamber 34 through the direct passage 40 necessarily strikes the outlet channel deflector 52 formed to lie in a direct path distanced from and parallel with the longitudinal axis CL. A plane H is defined by the longitudinal axis CL illustrated in
“With reference next to
“The outlet channel deflector 52 creates a constant turbulence of the fluids in and near the mixing chamber 36. Some of the turbulence is due in part to flows from the mixing chamber 36 into reservoir 16. Overall, the turbulence performs at least two beneficial functions. First, the progress of the material from the reservoir 16 and out channel 50 is held in check for better control over the concentration of the material applied to the desired spray surface area. Also, the turbulence prevents a “bunching” up of non-soluble products within the mixing chamber 36 which would tend to clog the nozzle.”
“The mixture exiting mixing chamber 36 through outlet channel 50 is substantially directed by the reflected fluid flow from the outlet channel deflector 52. As such, the bottom surface 84 of the flared nose 80 provides a second reflecting surface against which the mixture exiting the spray nozzle is guided. Further, the guide ribs 82 comprising the flared nose 80 determine the “spread” of the mixture exiting the spray nozzle 10. This “doubly reflected” fluid flow according to the inherent misalignment between the direct passage 40 and the outlet channel 50 prevents clogging of the mixing chamber 36 and accommodates a uniform distribution of the expelled fluids.”
“Removal of the flared nose 80 results in a fluid exhaust substantially parallel to the plane defined by the surface 52. But for the nose 80, the expelled fluid flow would generally follow the direction illustrated as F.sub.N.”
The two most common sprayers being offered to the lawn and garden consumer are the siphoning style and the inflow style. The siphoning style uses the venturi effect to deliver product to the exiting orifice of the sprayer. In order to maintain the venturi these designs must have an air inflow to replace the product outflow and maintain the venturi effect. The inflow styles being offered purport to use a venturi to deliver product to the outflow orifice but in fact do not since these designs do not have an air inflow mechanism.
Neither the Gavin '206 patent quoted above nor other inflow type sprayers recognize the need for a strong venturi effect with an air intake to enable the venturi. The lack of a strong venturi causes malfunctions both in the application of the product and in the emptying process. Without airflow to replace the emitted product from the container the venturi effect is defeated.
Previous designs do not indicate any bottle neck ring design and do not indicate the manner in which the sprayer head is to be affixed to the container. In fact, as indicated above in connection with
The Gavin '206 design without the disc assembly allows for proper air input only when not over tightened and does not disclose any way to prevent over tightening. The Gavin '206 design with the disc assembly will dispense slurry through the largest orifice (insoluble) when the threads are not tightened to seal air off. When the smaller orifice is used in the Gavin '206 and air is allowed to flow (i.e. threads are loosened), then pulsation and malfunction of the discharge occurs. In soluble position the disc assembly of the Gavin '206 design does not perform better than other soluble sprayers on the market.
The invention protects against the defeat of the flow venturi formed in the flow channel passageways and orifices therein through the proper aspiration of the head portion of the cap portion of the housing and through the proper aspiration of the reservoir. Air is supplied to the head portion and the reservoir to prevent the defeat of the venturi.
The invention enables the venturi and allows for larger, thinner wall containers at less cost and greater volume without refilling which also saves time and labor. The invention allows the container to empty automatically when inverted without unscrewing or rotating the threads of the head and the container with pressure applied thereto. The invention includes a “stop” position on the bottle and the head so that the threads cannot be tightened to the point of sealing off air inflow which is accomplished through the flat areas spaced 90 degrees between the partial threads of the head. Additionally, the flat areas may extend past the lip in the cap portion of the housing in the event that the bottle is accidentally over-tightened or intentionally over-tightened. By allowing the air inflow the venturi effect draws the slurry up into the head for distribution and keeps an equalizing pressure in the container preventing distortion of a thin-walled container. The equalizing pressure also allows the container to empty automatically in the inverted position without rotating the threads as is required with the related art set forth in
The invention includes a stationary or fixed disc having eight (8) orifices or apertures. Four of the orifices are rectangularly shaped and four of the orifices are circularly shaped. One of the rectangular orifices aligns with the mixing chamber and maximize's slurry entering the mixing area. Six of the seven additional apertures are for air input to the head and reservoir (sometimes referred to herein as the bottle, jar or container). One aperture is not used in that it abuts against the elongate passageway carrying water to and through the spray applicator. The invention includes a movable or rotatable disc with four (4) selectable outlet flow orifices (one rectangularly shaped and one circularly shaped) one of which is used as an outlet orifice and with the remaining orifices for air inflow to the head and then to the reservoir (i.e., aspiration of the head and reservoir). One of the orifices, however, will be substantially blocked at all times as it resides above the wall of the elongate flow passageway. There are four additional circularly shaped orifices or apertures which are used for aspiration of air. The stationary and fixed discs of the invention along with other features disclosed herein enable interchangeability between soluble fertilizer and insoluble grass seed. Another aspect of the invention includes a bottle neck ring which prohibits threading of the extension of the bottle too deeply into the sprayer head.
An apparatus for spraying lawn products adapted for use with a fluid supply source and a reservoir holding said lawn products includes a housing defining a mixing chamber therein. Soluble and insoluble products may be used in the reservoir. Further, detergent may be used in the reservoir. The apparatus is substantially made of plastic. The reservoir is coupled to the housing. A fluid supply source communicates a supply of a first fluid from the fluid supply source into the housing through an elongate passageway. A first passageway (fill passageway) communicates a first portion of the first fluid from the fluid supply source into the reservoir as a mixing fluid flow. A second passageway communicates the remaining portion of the first fluid from the fluid supply source into the mixing chamber through the direct passage. The mixing chamber empties through the outlet channel.
The housing includes a substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion having discontinuous internal threads forming flats therein, a lip portion, and an open end portion. The reservoir includes a generally cylindrically shaped neck portion having a partial exterior shoulder, external threads thereon, and an end portion.
The external threads of the generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of the reservoir interengage the discontinuous internal threads having flats therein of the substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion. The partial exterior shoulder of the generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of the reservoir interengages the open end portion of the substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion such that the end portion of the neck portion of the reservoir does not engage the lip portion of the substantially shaped cap portion enabling aspiration of the reservoir and the housing past the partial shoulder, the threads of the housing and reservoir and the flats of the housing.
An apparatus for spraying lawn products adapted for use with a fluid supply source and a reservoir holding the lawn products includes a housing defining a mixing chamber therein. The reservoir is coupled to the housing. The fluid supply source communicates a supply of a first fluid from the fluid supply source into the housing through an elongate passageway. A first passageway communicates a first portion of the first fluid from the fluid supply source into the reservoir as a mixing fluid flow. A second passageway communicates the remaining portion of the first fluid from the fluid supply source into the mixing chamber. The housing includes a substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion having discontinuous internal threads forming flats therein, a lip portion, and an open end portion. The reservoir includes a generally cylindrically shaped neck portion having a partial exterior shoulder, external threads thereon, and an end portion.
The internal threads of the generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of the reservoir interengage the discontinuous internal threads having flats therein of the substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion. A fixed disc is mounted to the cylindrically shaped cap portion of the housing and comprises a plurality of rectangularly shaped apertures. The fixed disc is in loose engagement with the lip of the cap portion of the housing such that air may flow between the fixed disc and the lip into the head portion. One of the rectangularly shaped apertures communicates with the mixing chamber. The fixed disc further includes four circularly shaped apertures which communicate with a head portion of the housing. A rotatably adjustable disc is in loose engagement with the fixed disc. The rotatably adjustable disc includes a rectangularly shaped-mixing flow aperture, a square shaped mixing flow aperture, an oval shaped mixing flow aperture and a circularly shaped mixing flow aperture any one of which may be selectively aligned with the one of the rectangularly shaped apertures communicating with the mixing chamber. The remaining apertures not aligned with the mixing chamber are aligned with the rectangular apertures of the fixed disc such that two of the remaining apertures communicate with the head of the housing. The rotatably adjustable disc further includes four circularly shaped apertures which align with the four circularly shaped apertures of the fixed disc. The apertures aligning with the mixing chamber control flow therethrough and the apertures aligned with each other aspirate the head of the housing and the reservoir. The partial exterior shoulder of the generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of the reservoir interengages the open end portion of the substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion such that the end portion of the neck portion of the reservoir does not engage the fixed and rotatable discs or the lip portion of the substantially shaped cap portion enabling aspiration of the reservoir and the housing past the partial shoulder, the threads of the housing and reservoir, the fixed and rotatable discs, and the flats of the housing.
A bottle and spray applicator is disclosed and claimed. The spray applicator includes a housing having a head and a passageway through the housing. The bottle includes a stop. The housing is threadedly interconnected with the bottle and interengages the stop on the bottle such that air may flow past the stop and the threaded interconnection and into the head of the housing and the bottle. The fixed disc includes four rectangularly shaped orifices located 90° apart. Any one of the four rectangularly shaped orifices of the fixed disc may be positioned adjacent to and aligned with the passageway.
Two of the four rectangularly shaped orifices are in communication with the head of the housing. The fixed disc also includes a plurality of circularly shaped orifices in communication with the head of the housing. A selectively rotatable disc resides adjacent the stationary disc. The rotatable disc typically is selectively rotated in 90° increments so as to adjust the flow apertures with respect to the fixed disc. The rotatable disc includes a plurality of flow control orifices, any one of which may be selectively aligned with the selected one of the four rectangularly shaped orifices of the fixed disc adjacent the passageway so as to control flow through the passageway.
Two of the flow control orifices of the rotatable disc are aligned with two of the rectangularly shaped discs for communication of air to and from the head. The rotatable disc further includes a plurality of circularly shaped apertures in alignment with the circularly shaped apertures of the fixed disc for communication of air to and from the head of the cap portion of the housing.
A process for aspirating a bottle and spray applicator is claimed and disclosed wherein the bottle (reservoir or container) includes a neck portion having exterior threads thereon, an end portion and a partial shoulder thereon. The spray applicator includes a housing which in turn includes a cap portion. The cap portion includes interior threads having flats therein, a passageway, a head portion, an end portion, and a lip. The cap portion further includes a fixed disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspirating apertures. Further, the cap portion includes a rotatable disc having a plurality of flow apertures and aspirating apertures. The steps of the process include: inserting the fixed disc into engagement with the cap portion; aligning one of the flow apertures of the fixed disc with the passageway; inserting the rotatable disc into engagement with the fixed disc; rotatably selecting from one of a rectangular, square, oval or circular flow aperture of the rotatable disc and aligning it with the one of the flow apertures aligned with the passageway of the fixed disc, and, aligning the remaining flow and aspirating apertures with each other; interengaging the exterior threads of the neck portion with the interior threads of the cap portion; interengaging the end portion of the cap with the partial shoulder of the neck portion of the bottle; and, flowing air past the partial shoulder of the bottle, the threads and flats, and into the reservoir and the head portion. Alternatively, the flats in the threads of the cap portion of the housing extend past the lip so as to provide an airflow path above and below the fixed disc.
It is an object of the present invention to provide fixed and rotatable discs which permit aspiration of air between the reservoir and the head.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a partial shoulder or stop on the exterior of the reservoir which interengages the cap portion of the housing thus preventing the reservoir from bottoming out on a lip of the cap portion or on the rotatable and fixed discs and thus allowing aspiration of air between the reservoir and the head.
It is an object of the present invention to provide fixed and rotatable discs which include apertures therethrough which align which each other forming passageways between the reservoir and the head of the cap portion of the housing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide flats on the threaded interior cap portion of the housing which communicates air along the flats to an annular space formed between an end portion of a neck of the reservoir and the rotatable and fixed disc and then to the reservoir and head portion of the housing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide flats on the threaded interior cap portion of the housing which communicates air along the flats past the rotatable and fixed discs and then to exchange the air between the rotatable and fixed discs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for aspirating a reservoir in combination with a spray applicator.
It is an object of the present invention to provide aspiration means to improve venturi performance.
It is an object of the present invention to protect against the defeat of the venturi through proper aspiration of the device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide air to the head portion and then into the container (reservoir).
It is an object of the present invention to provide indicia on the reservoir and the cap portion of the housing to prevent over-tightening of the cap to the housing.
These and other objects of the invention will be best understood when reference is made to the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS and the DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION which follow hereinbelow.
Cap portion 1199 includes a circumferential wall defined by outer surface or rim 14 and inner surface 14A. Interior threads 15 are discontinuous. Lip 1102 is formed in the circumferential wall. Head portion 1103A is defined by the inner interior wall 1120 and the upper portion 1103 of the interior of the cap portion 1199 of the housing. Referring to
Still referring to
Still referring to
The cap portion 1199 of the spray applicator terminates in a bottom lip or end portion 1105. The outer top of the cap portion of the spray applicator is indicated by reference numeral 1106. Cap portion 1199 further includes male protrusion 1109 for interengagement with corresponding socket 66.
The fixed and rotatable discs are approximately 0.40 inches thick. The cap portion 1199 is approximately 2.875 inches in diameter (outside diameter) and has a height of approximately 1.125 inches (outside dimensions).
Referring to
Referring to
Rotatably adjustable disc 1320 further includes four circularly shaped aspirating apertures 1301, 1301A, 1301B, 1301C which align with the four circularly shaped aspirating apertures 1201, 1201A, 1201B, 1201C of the fixed disc. One of the fixed disc flow apertures (61, 1202, 1203, 1204) aligns with one of the rotatable disc flow apertures (72, 1302, 72A and 72B) for direct flow control through the mixing chamber. The apertures aligned with each other and which are not aligned with the mixing chamber or elongate passageway 1177 aspirate head 1103A of the cap portion 1199 of the housing and the reservoir.
The reservoir or bottle includes a top lip 1502 and a neck 1503. Spiral shaped exterior threads 1510 are illustrated on the neck 1503 of the bottle. A partial shoulder forming stop 1520 is illustrated with a large discontinuity in the shoulder represented by reference numeral 1530 indicated. Sometimes hereinafter the discontinuity in the threads may be indicated as a flat on the exterior of the bottle between the stops 1520.
The partial exterior shoulder 1520 of the generally cylindrically shaped neck portion of the reservoir interengages the end portion 1105 of the substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion 1199 such that the end or lip portion 1102 of the neck portion 1103 of the reservoir does not engage the fixed 1220 and rotatable 1320 discs or the lip portion 1102 of the substantially cylindrically shaped cap portion enabling aspiration of the reservoir and the head portion of the housing past the partial shoulder 1520, the threads 15, 1510 of the cap portion of the housing and reservoir, the fixed and rotatable discs, and the flats of the cap portion of the housing.
Fixed disc 1220 includes a crown or mushroomed portion 1277 over which aperture 78 of the rotatable disc 1320 fits to snugly fit the discs together, together with the dimples and recesses previously described. Disc 1220 includes a socket 66 for reception of the male protrusion 1109. Male protrusion may be square or rectangularly shaped. Other shapes of the protrusion and corresponding socket shapes are contemplated.
The spray applicator described herein and all of its constituent parts are primarily made of light weight plastics. The cap portion 1199 of the housing is plastic as is the bottle (reservoir). The plastic parts are preferably molded and are of light weight.
The steps of the process include: inserting the fixed disc into engagement with the cap portion-1701; aligning one of the flow apertures of the fixed disc with the passageway-1702; inserting the rotatable disc into engagement with the fixed disc-1703; rotatably selecting from one of a rectangular, square, oval or circular flow aperture of the rotatable disc and aligning it with the one of the flow apertures aligned with the passageway of the fixed disc-1704; aligning the remaining flow and aspirating apertures with each other-1705; interengaging the exterior threads of the neck portion with the interior threads of the cap portion-1706; interengaging the end portion of the cap with the partial shoulder of the neck portion of the bottle-1707; and, flowing air past the partial shoulder of the bottle, the threads and flats, and into the reservoir and the head portion-1708. Alternatively, the flats 1001A in the threads of the cap portion of the housing extend past the lip so as to provide an airflow path above the fixed disc.
The invention has been set forth by way of example only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that changes may be made to the invention as described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth below in the Claims.
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